Hair pin

ABSTRACT

A hairpin to press and hold hairs in place which includes upper and lower clips ( 10  and  20 ) each having finger pressing portions ( 11  and  21 ) and clipping portions ( 12  and  22 ); a hinge shaft ( 35 ) inserted in holes ( 13  and  23 ) formed in the upper and lower clips ( 10  and  2 ); a torsion spring ( 30 ) through which the hinge shaft ( 35 ) passes, in which hairs are pressed and held in place by tension force of the clipping portions ( 12  and  22 ) of the upper and lower clips. The clipping portion ( 12 ) of the upper clip ( 10 ) has a convex holding portion ( 15 ) protruding outwardly from an inner center of the clipping portion to form a space ( 16 ) for retaining hairs. A resiliently pressing portion ( 18 ) integrally extends from the clipping portion below the convex holding portion ( 15 ) to press and hold the hairs in place.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hairpin (otherwise known as ahair-grip) for use in beauty shops or the like to press and hold hairsin place, and more specifically, to a hairpin including upper and lowerclips for pressing and holding hairs therebetween, in which the upperclip is provided with a convex holding portion for holding a lot ofhairs in place, and a resiliently pressing portion for pressing andholding the hairs, thereby strongly holding a lot of hairs in place toimprove utility thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART

In general, hairpins, hairclips or hair-grips (hereinafter referred to ahairpin, hairclip or hair-grip) are used to hold hairs of women in adesired place or style.

Various kinds of hairpins are disclosed in the art, and the hairpinsgenerally include upper and lower clips that are connected to each otherby a torsion spring and a hinge shaft to press and hold the hairs inplace by tension force of the upper and lower clips.

The above-described hairpins of the related art have a problem in thatsince clipping portions of the upper and lower clips are formed in aflat shape, the clipping portions do not only hold the hairseffectively, but also do not retain a lot of hairs.

In order to solve the above problem, a small hairpin made of metal has aseparate resilient piece protruding inwardly from an upper clip toeffectively hold the hairs. Alternatively, in a case of a large hairpin,a space is formed inside an upper clip, so that a lot of hairs can beretained.

However, the hairpins of the related art do not have a compositefunction of strongly holding a lot of hairs. In particular, in the casewhere the hairpins are made of resin, the hairpins have a furtherdifficulty in holding a lot of hairs in place. See Korean Patent Nos.10-980909 and 10-1302918.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the aboveproblems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hairpinincluding upper and lower clips for holding hairs therebetween, in whichthe upper clip is provided with a convex holding portion for holding alot of hairs in place, and a resiliently pressing portion for pressingand holding the hairs, thereby strongly holding a lot of hairs in placeto improve utility thereof.

Another object of the present invention relates to provide a hairpinincluding an upper clip, of which a convex holding portion and aresiliently pressing portion are simple to be easily manufactured,thereby reducing a manufacture cost thereof.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided ahairpin including: upper and lower clips each having finger pressingportions and clipping portions; a hinge shaft that is inserted in holesformed in the upper and lower clips; and a torsion spring through whichthe hinge shaft passes, in which hairs are pressed and held in place bytension force of the clipping portions of the upper and lower clips,wherein the clipping portion of the upper clip has a convex holdingportion protruding outwardly from an inner center of the clippingportion to form a space for retaining the hairs therein, and aresiliently pressing portion integrally extending from the clippingportion below the convex holding portion in a longitudinal direction ofthe clipping portion to press and hold the hairs in place.

Preferably, the clipping portion is formed with a slot that penetrates acenter portion of the clipping portion in the longitudinal directionthereof, and the resiliently pressing portion is positioned within or analignment with the slot.

Preferably, a pair of guides protrude inwardly from left and right sidesof the clipping portion.

Preferably, the resiliently pressing portion is preferably formed in awavy (sinuous)shape.

Preferably, the resiliently pressing portion has a free end at one endthereof.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda hairpin including: upper and lower clips each having finger pressingportions and clipping portions; a hinge shaft that is inserted in holesformed in the upper and lower clips; and a torsion spring through whichthe hinge shaft passes, in which hairs are pressed and held in place bytension force of the clipping portions of the upper and lower clips,wherein the clipping portion of the upper clip has a slot formed in acenter portion thereof in a longitudinal direction, and a resilientlypressing portion of a wavy shape for pressing and holding the hairs ispositioned within the slot.

With the above configuration, the hairpin according to the presentinvention presses and holds the hair in place by the upper and lowerclips, in which the upper clip is provided with the convex holdingportion for holding a lot of hairs in place, and the resilientlypressing portion for pressing and holding the hairs, thereby stronglyholding a lot of hairs in place to improve its marketability relative tothe related art.

In particular, by the wavy structure of the resiliently pressingportion, the structure of proving various resilient force by connectingboth ends of the resiliently pressing portion or forming one end thereofas the free end, and the guide structure of the resiliently pressingportion, the hairs are more effectively pressed and held by theresiliently pressing portion, thereby remarkably improving the utilitythereof.

Further, when the upper and lower clips are made of resin throughmolding, since the structure of the convex portion and the resilientlypressing portion of the upper clip are simple, the configuration of themold for the upper clip can be simple, and also, the molding work usingthe mold can be also easily performed, thereby remarkably reducing themanufacture cost thereof. In particular, alignment of the resilientlypressing portion with the slot can obviate any requirement for slidingside cores during molding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a hairpin according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hairpin in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the hairpin in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the hairpin in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating an opening state of the hairpin in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a hairpin according toanother embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a hairpin according tofurther another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a hairpin according to furtheranother embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   10, 20: Upper and lower clips-   11, 21: Finger pressing portion-   12, 22: Clipping portion-   13, 23: Hole-   15: Convex holding portion-   12 a: Slot-   16: Space-   18, 18′: Resiliently pressing portion-   18 a: Free end-   19: Guide-   30: Torsion spring-   35: Hinge shaft

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A hairpin according to an embodiment of the present invention will behereafter described in detail with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

The hairpin of the present invention includes, as illustrated in FIGS. 1to 5, upper and lower clips 10 and 20 having finger pressing portions 11and 21 and clipping portions 12 and 22, a hinge shaft 35 that isinserted in holes 13 and 23 formed in the upper and lower clips 10 and20, and a torsion spring 30 through which the hinge shaft 35 passes, inorder to hold hairs in place by tension force of the clipping portions12 and 22 of the upper and lower clips.

In particular, the clipping portion 12 of the upper clip 10 has a convexholding portion 15 protruding outwardly from an inner center of theclipping portion to form a space 16 for retaining the hairs therein, anda resiliently pressing portion 18 integrally extending from the clippingportion below the convex holding portion 15 in a longitudinal directionof the clipping portion to press the hairs.

The clipping portion 12 is formed with a slot 12 a that penetrates acenter portion of the clipping portion in the longitudinal directionthereof, and the resiliently pressing portion 18 is positioned withinthe slot 12 a.

Specifically, since the configuration of the clipping portion 12 issimple, a mold for the clipping portion can be configured so thatproduct forming work and mold releasing work can be easily carried out,without using a sliding manner.

In addition, a pair of guides 19 and 19 protrude inwardly from theclipping portion 12, so that the resiliently pressing portion 18 ispositioned between the guides 19 and 19. When the resiliently pressingportion resiliently operates up and down, it is guided by the guides 19and 19.

The resiliently pressing portion 18 is preferably formed in a wavy shapeso as to increase resilient force and pressing force that holds the hairin place.

Herein, reference numeral 14 indicates a protrusion protruding inwardlyfrom the upper clip 10.

Hereinafter, the operation of the hairpin configured described abovewill be described.

The finger pressing portions 11 and 21 of the upper and lower clips 10and 20 are pressed to open the clipping portions 12 and 22, and thehairs are collected and positioned between the clipping portions 12 and22. When the pressing force is released from the finger pressingportions 11 and 21, the hairs are held by the resilient operation of theclipping portions 12 and 22.

In particular, since the space 16 is formed in the inner center of theclipping portion 12 of the upper clip 10 by the convex holding portion15, a lot of hairs are retained. Also, the hairs are further pressed bythe resiliently pressing portion 18 positioned inside the convex holdingportion 15, thereby strongly pressing and holding a lot of hairs inplace.

Also, the resiliently pressing portion 18 is formed in the wavy shape toincrease the resilient force and the pressing force that presses andholds the hairs, and the wavy shape presses the hairs like a wedge,thereby strongly pressing and holding the hairs in place.

In addition, since the guides 19 and 19 protrude from left and rightsides of the resiliently pressing portion 18 of the clipping portion 12,when the resiliently pressing portion 18 resiliently operates up anddown, the guides 19 and 19 guide the resiliently pressing portion, andserve as a support against external force acting on a left or rightside, thereby preventing the resiliently pressing portion from beingbroken.

Furthermore, since the resiliently pressing portion 18 is positionedwithin the slot 12 a formed in the center portion of the upper clip 10in the longitudinal direction, an injection mold can be manufactured tohave a simple configuration. At the time of injection molding, the moldis not slid in a vertical direction to form and extract a product,thereby remarkably reducing a manufacturing cost.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiments of the present invention that aresimilar to the embodiment in FIG. 1, except that one end of theresiliently pressing portion 18 of the clipping portion 12 is notconnected to the clipping portion 12, but is formed as a free end 18 a.

In this instance, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the free end 18 a of theresiliently pressing portion 18 may be positioned within the clippingportion 12, or, as illustrated in FIG. 8, may be inserted in the slot 12a formed in the center portion of the clipping portion 12 in thelongitudinal direction to be positioned outside the clipping portion 12.

According to these embodiments, since both ends of the resilientlypressing portion 18 are not connected to the clipping portion 12, butone end is disconnected from the clipping portion 12 to form the freeend 18 a, the resilient force of the resiliently pressing portion 18 canbe further increased, thereby strongly pressing and holding the hairs inplace.

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the present invention that is similarto the embodiment in FIG. 1, except that the clipping portion 12 of theupper clip 10 is formed with the slot 12 a in the center portion thereofin the longitudinal direction, and a resiliently pressing portion 18′ ofa wavy shape for pressing and holding the hairs is positioned within theslot 12 a.

According to the embodiment, the clipping portion 12 of the upper clip10 is provided with only the resiliently pressing portion 18′ of thewavy shape to further press and hold the hairs in place. Since theresiliently pressing portion 18′ is positioned within the slot 12 aformed in the center portion of the clipping portion 12 in thelongitudinal direction, a vertical resilient section of the resilientlypressing portion 18′ is increased, thereby effectively pressing andholding the hairs in place.

In addition, when the resiliently pressing portion 18′ resilientlyoperates up and down, it is guided by the slot 12 a, and the slot 12 aserves as a support against external force acting on a left or rightside, thereby preventing the resiliently pressing portion from beingbroken.

While the present invention has been described with reference to theparticular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by theembodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciatedthat those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodimentswithout departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

1. A hairpin comprising: upper and lower clips (10 and 20) each havingfinger pressing portions (11 and 21) and clipping portions (12 and 22);a hinge shaft (35) that is inserted in holes (13 and 23) formed in theupper and lower clips (10 and 20); and a torsion spring (30) throughwhich the hinge shaft (35) passes, in which hairs are pressed and heldin place by tension force of the clipping portions (12 and 22) of theupper and lower clips, wherein the clipping portion (12) of the upperclip (10) includes a convex holding portion (15) protruding outwardlyfrom an inner center of the clipping portion to form a space (16) forretaining the hairs therein, and a resiliently pressing portion (18)integrally extending from the clipping portion below the convex holdingportion (15) in a longitudinal direction of the clipping portion topress and hold the hairs in place.
 2. The hairpin according to claim 1,wherein the clipping portion (12) is formed with a slot (12 a) thatpenetrates a center portion of the clipping portion in the longitudinaldirection thereof, and the resiliently pressing portion (18) ispositioned within the slot (12).
 3. The hairpin according to claim 1,wherein a pair of guides (19 and 19) protrude inwardly from left andright sides of the clipping portion (12).
 4. The hairpin according toclaim 1, wherein the resiliently pressing portion (18) is formed in awavy shape.
 5. The hairpin according to claim 1, wherein one end (18 a)of the resiliently pressing portion (18) is free.
 6. The hairpinaccording to claim 4, wherein one end (18 a) of the resiliently pressingportion (18) is free.
 7. A hairpin comprising: upper and lower clips (10and 20) each having finger pressing portions (11 and 21) and clippingportions (12 and 22); a hinge shaft (35) that is inserted in holes (13and 23) formed in the upper and lower clips (10 and 20); and a torsionspring (30 through which the hinge shaft (35) passes, in which hairs arepressed and held in place by tension force of the clipping portions (12and 22) of the upper and lower clips, wherein the clipping portion (12)of the upper clip (10) includes a slot (12 a) formed in a center portionthereof in a longitudinal direction, and a resiliently pressing portion(18′) of a wavy shape for pressing and holding the hairs is positionedwithin the slot (12 a).
 8. A hair-grip comprising: two clamping armsconnected together in side by side relation and comprising respective,elongate, clamping portions and spaced-apart finger-pieces extendingtherefrom; means on the arms for biasing the clamping portions togetherin hair clamping position; and, a fulcrum at a junction of the clampingportions and the finger-pieces such that squeezing the finger-piecestogether forces the clamping portions apart; wherein an resilient,elongate, hair pressing member having at least one end connected to onearm extends longitudinally between the clamping portions.
 9. A hair gripaccording to claim 8 wherein the clamping portion on the one arm isformed with a central, convex, hair holding portion which protrudesoutwards away from the clamping portion of the other arm.
 10. Ahair-grip according to claim 9 wherein an elongate slot extends alongthe clamping portion of the one arm and the hair pressing member extendsalong the slot.
 11. A hair-grip according to claim 10 wherein one end ofthe hair pressing member is integral with an end of the slot.
 12. Ahair-grip according to claim 10 wherein respective opposite ends of thehair-grip are integral with respective opposite ends of the slot.
 13. Ahair-grip according to claim 8 wherein the hair pressing member issinuous, having portions repeatedly extending towards and away fromrespective clamping portions.
 14. A hair-grip according to claim 12wherein an elongate slot extends along the clamping portion of the onearm and the hair pressing member extends along the slot, repeatedlyprotruding out from opposite sides thereof.
 15. A hair-grip according toclaim 14 wherein one end of the hair pressing member is integral with anend of the slot.
 16. A hair-grip according to claim 14 whereinrespective opposite ends of the hair-grip are integral with respectiveopposite ends of the slot.
 17. A hair-grip according to claim 8 whereinguides extend laterally from respective opposite sides of a clampingpotion toward another clamping portion protecting the hair pressingmember during use of the hair-grip.